Wire and rod handling machine



ct. 31, 1933.` C, RALSTON Er AL 1,933,450

WIRE AND BOD HANDLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l A maf/50715. f\ 7f3/@MHS 0.,//1//4L/@M6 and HHELEY C. EQLSTO/l/ Oct. 31, 1933. H. c. RALsToN ET AL WIRE AND ROD HANDLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 /m 0 n ik ,www .W if W ma@ #w @c 5V, @5. mw W3 Oct. 31, 1933. 5 c. RALsToN ET AL 1,933,450

WIRE AND ROD HANDLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1953 3 shets-sheet 3 i fr@ I@ 5.. 16'@ aLl, i

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE WIRE AND ROD HANDLING MACHINE Application February 9, 1933. Serial No. 656,042

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel wire and rod handling machine, and has for one of its objects the provision of a novel device in which a coil of Wire or rod may be sheared at its ends, nicked, bent and tested before it is bundled for delivery.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, as stated above, in which means are arranged to vertically adjust the position of an improved reel.

A further object is to provide a shear and associated automatically operated mechanism for nicking and bending at least one end of the Wire or rod in order that it may be tested for strain, grain structure, etc.

These and further objects will be apparent after referring to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is an end elevation.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail of part of the apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a platform for the apparatus of the invention. A reel supporting base 3 is mounted on the platform 2 and secured thereto by any suitable means. A vertical shaft 4 is secured to the reel supporting base 3 and has mounted thereon a rotative and reciprocatory hub 5 having aplurality of upper lugs 5*s and lower lugs 5b. A plurality of radially disposed spokes 6 is secured to the upper lugs 5a by riveting or other means and is provided with links 7 which are secured to the outer ends of the spokes 6 and to the lower lugs 5b on the hub 5 in like manner. The lowermost end of the hub 5 is provided with a boss 8 to which there is secured one end of a link 9. The link 9 is connected at its other end to a link 10 by means of a pin 9a. The link 10 is provided with a boss 11 which is journaled in the reel supporting base 3. A link 12 is also connected to the pin 9a of the link 9 at one of its ends and to a link 13 by means of a pin 12a at its other end. The toggle 13 is provided with a boss 14 which is also journaled in the reel supporting base 3. A lever 15 is keyed to the boss 14 for reciprocating the hub 5 on the shaft 4.

A shear supporting base 16 is secured to the platform 2 adjacent the reel support 3 and is pro,- vided with a lower shear blade 16a and a shear head 1'7 which carries an upper shear blade 17a. The shear head 17 is arranged to pivot about a pin 17b which is journaled inthe upper end of the shear 16. The shear head 1'? is operated through a rod 18 which is connected thereto by means of a pin 18a. The rod 18 is provided at its other end with right-hand threads which are adapted to cooperate with similar threads in a take-up link 19. vided at one of its ends with left-hand threads which are adapted to cooperate with similar threads in the lower end of the take-up link 19.

A lock nut 19b is threaded onto the connectingrod 20 and is adapted to make locking contact with thel other end of the take-up link 19. The other end of the rod 20 is provided with an upper half-bearing 21.

A shaft 24 is journaled in the lower end of the shear supporting base 16 and is provided with an eccentric 23. The upper half-bearing 21 isa operatively connected to the eccentric 23 by means of a lower half-bearing 22, bolts 25 and associated nuts 26.

The shaft 24 is rotated through a coupling 24*l and shaft 26 which are, in turn, driven through suitable gearing in a gear-box 27. The gearing in the gear-box 2'7 is driven through a shaft 28, a coupling 29 and the drive shaft 31 of an electric motor 30, which is secured to the platform 2 in a suitable manner.

The gear-box 27 also drives a shaft 32 which is journaled in a support 33 for the novel nicking and bending mechanism of the invention. A stationary vise-jaw 34 is positioned on the upper portion of the support 33 and is adapted to cooperate with a sliding vise-jaw 35. The sliding vise-jaw 35 is adapted for reciprocatory movement in guides 39, which are secured to the upper portion of the support 33 by means of suitable cap screws 40.

A transverse guide 41 is positioned adjacent the rearward portion of the sliding vise-jaw 35. The forward portion of the sliding visejaw 35 is provided with a clamping plate 36 which is adapted to clamp a nicking blade 37 to the sliding vise-jaw by means of cap screws 36a. The rearward portion of the nicking blade 37 is provided with an upset portion 37a in order to provide a contact surface for an adjusting screw 38 which is threaded in an internally threaded boss portion 358L which is associated with the sliding visejaw 35.

The sliding vise-jaw 35 is provided with an elongated aperture in which there is disposed a link 42 which is provided at its uppermost end with a transverse oval-shaped hole in which is disposed a pin 42a which is, in turn, seated within suitable recesses in the sliding vise-jaw 35. The link 42 is journaled at its lower end to ears 33EL on the support 33 by means of a pin 33h. A lever A connecting-rod 20 is pro' 'vided at its extended end with a roller 53.

43 is provided with ears 43a intermediate its length which are adapted to be journaled on the pin 33b and to enclose the lower end of the link 42, and a lower grooved end which has a roller 44 associated therewith. The upper end of the link 42 is internally threaded as at 42b to receive an adjusting bolt 45. The bolt 45 is adapted to reciprocate Within a hole in the end of the link 43 and is restrained by means of a spring 46 and an associated washer 46 adjacent its head.

An adjusting screw 47 is threaded in a suitably threaded hole in the link 43 and serves to limit relative movement between the same and the link 42. A lock nut 47a is provided for maintaining the adjustment between the two links 42 and 43. The shaft 32 is provided with an eccentric 44a to give movement to the roller 44 on the curved lower end of the link 43.

A vertical shaft 48 is journaled in the support 33 and is provided at its upper end with a crank arm 48H. The crank arm 48a is provided at its extended end with a boss 48h. A bevel gear 49 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 48 and is adapted to cooperate with a segmental gear 50 which is mounted on one end of a shaft 51. The shaft 51 is journaled in the support 33 and carries at its other end a crank 52 which is pro- The roller 53 is adapted to be moved by an eccentric 54 which ismounted on the shaft 32. The platform 2 is provided with suitable wheels 2a and a handle 2b, to facilitate its transportation.

In operation, a coil of wire is placed around the vertical shaft 4 of the reel and the lever l5 moved to elevate the hub 5 and associated spokes 6 in order to dispose the coil in suitable vertical position. One end of the wire or rod is extended through the shear blades 16a and 17 and moved across the upper surface of the support 33 and between the vise-jaws 34 and 35. The shaft 24 is given rotary movement by means of the motor 30 and operates the shear device in the manner previously described.

The motor 30 simultaneously rotates the shaft 32 and associated eccentrics 44a and 54. The eccentric 44a reciprocates the sliding vise-jaw 35 through the lever 43 in order to clamp the wire or rod between the jaw 35 and the stationary visejaw 34. In this operation the wire or rod is nicked by the blade 37 which is secured to the vise-jaw 35, and at the same time the crank arm 48? is rotated approximately 120 degrees by the eccentric 54 and associated gearing in order that 55"' the boss portion 48b may make contact with the wire or rod and bend the same away from the n'ck imposed by the blade 37. The sheared ends of the wire or rod may be inspected at the nick for defects, and the coil bundled on the reel.

While we have shown and described one specific embodiment of our invention it will be understood that we do not Wish to be -limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of our invention, as defined in the fol.owing claims.

We claim:

l. In combination with a shearing mechanism, a reel adjacent said shearing mechanism, stripping mechanism for said reel, a vise operatively associated with said shear, a nicking blade on said vise and bending mechanism operatively associated with said vise.

2. A shear, a motor driven shaft for actuating said shear, a vise having associated therewith a nicking blade, means operatively connected to said shaft for actuating said vise, a bending mechanism connected to said motor driven shaft, a reel adjacent said shear, and means for adjustably elevating said reel.

3. A portable wire handling device comprising a shear, a motor driven shaft for actuating said shear, a vise having associated therewith a nicking blade, an automatic bending device, and means operatively ,connected to said shaft for actuating said vice and nicking blade and said bending device. l

4. In a portable wire handling device, a platform, a reel on said platform, means for vertically adjusting said reel, a motor driven shaft, a shearing device, a clamping and nicking device, an automatic bending device, and separate eccentric means for coupling said motor driven shaft and all of said devices.

5. A nicking and bending mechanism comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, a roller on one end of said lever, a second lever mounted adjacent one of its ends on the pivot for said first named lever, a sliding vise-jaw operatively associated with said second lever, a nicking blade on said vise-jaw, an adjusting screw for relatively spacing said levers, a bolt secured to said second lever and adapted to reciprocate within an aperture in said first named lever, and power driven means for moving said rst named lever on its pivot.

HARLEY C. RALSTON. THOMAS D. WILLIAMS. 

